Information from the County Attorney's Office
By Steven J. Franzen, Campbell County Attorney
If you choose to drink and drive in Northern Kentucky – beware. Law enforcement throughout Northern Kentucky will be participating in the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign which runs from August 16th to September 4th.
This nationwide impaired driving crackdown will include high-visibility enforcement, high-profile events, and will be supported by national paid advertising, creating a comprehensive campaign to curb impaired driving.
Locally, we aggressively watch for impaired drivers year-round but this campaign will ensure that our roadways are safer for everyone during the heavily-traveled Labor Day holiday.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), on average, there is one alcohol impaired driving-related fatality every 51 minutes. High-visibility enforcement such as the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign reduces alcohol-impaired driving fatalities by as much as 20 percent.
In Kentucky in 2015, there were more than 4,200 collisions involving alcohol, resulting in more than 1,900 injuries and 119 fatalities. During the Labor Day holiday weekend, there were more than 60 collisions involving alcohol, resulting in 30 injuries and three fatalities.
Adding one more tool to combat drinking and driving, Kentucky Office of Highway Safety partnered with Mobile Life Solutions last year to develop a free “Drive Sober Kentucky” application that may be downloaded at www.DriveSoberKY.com.
The app contains phone numbers to taxi and limousine services and sober ride programs, along with a one-touch dial feature to report a drunken driver and information about the designated driver HERO campaign. If a local taxi, limousine or sober ride program would like to participate but is not included in the app, send contact information to info@driversoberky.com
We hope the campaign will serve as a reminder that those who choose to drink should never get behind the wheel. Driving impaired is simply not worth the risk. So don’t take the chance.
For more information, visit the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” Campaign Headquarters at www.nhtsa.gov/drivesober.